Fluorescent lamp switch



Filed Oct. 18, 1941 Las 'en a a 4 A om i d a@ 4 w 0 mm @yv w Il 1 ma Lu @y 7 f w M ,I a M 1 :I d JEH# -/wo J., @@-k w 1 1 L M w. o y n. xi): if 3/ f%\ O 7J Y w.

Am'aaNEx Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED vSTATES. PATENT OFFICE FLUoaEsCEN'r LAMP SWITCH Nathan chireIstein, chicago, III. i AppIicaiion october 1s, 1941, sei-iufm. 415,535

Claims.

The invention here disclosed relates to the control of lamps in the nature of fluorescent tubes, requiring time for the Warming up of th 'lamentary electrodes. f

Objects of the invention are to provide a simple mechanical form of switch mechanism for automatically interposing the preliminary circuit connections required for the warming up effect and which will be operated directly as a part of the normal operation of the main switch controlling the lamp.

Other special objects are to provide a device of the character noted, which will be readily applicable to existing lamp installations or be built inas part of new lamp construction.

Further objects and the novel features by which purposes of the invention are attained, will appear and are hereinafter set forth and broadly claimed.

In the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification, there are illustrated several different embodiments of the invention, but structure may be modifiedv and changed as regards the instant disclosure, all within the true spirit and broad scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. l is a broken sectional view of a liuorescent lamp fixture with one form of the invention applied thereto and with circuit connections illustrated diagrammatically.

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged broken sectional details of the supplementary` filament Warming switch, which is attachable in the pull connection for operating the main switch.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of Fig. 1, illustrating how connections can be made with a lamp fixture having a socket for a starting switch of the glow or thermal type.

Fig. 5 is a broken part sectional detail illustrating a modification of filament control switch combined with the main switch.

In Fig. 1, a fixture of more or less typical design is indicated at 1, carrying a lamp tube 8, having filaments 9, I0, which when the lamp is first turned on are connected in series relation to warm them suiiiciently for the discharge to take effect across the electrodes.

A main control switch is indicated at I l, actuated by a pull chain connection I2.

The supply mains are 'indicated at I3, Il, and the main switch is so arranged as to effect a connection from one side of the line i3, through wiring I5, to one end of filament 9, and from the other side I4, through wiring I6, to one end of filament l0.

The starting circuit comprises a connection I1, between the other ends of the filaments El, I0, in which there is interposed special starting switch mechanism.

In the present invention, the special starting switch takes the form of a mechanically actuated circuit controller coupled in the pull connection,

so as to be actuated as an incident to the operation of the main switch. l

In the form of starter control illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, there is a small switch casing I8, suspended at the top at i9, on the main switch pull chain and having the continuation of the pull connection attached thereto at the bottom at This elongated switch casing contains opposed stationary switch contacts 2l, 22, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, as having terminals 23, 24, connected by flexible wires 25, 26, in the filament bridging circuit I1.

The movable element of the switch is shown as a U-shaped spring contact 21, carried by a plunger 28, on the stem 29, and adapted in the lowered position to connect the stationary con tacts 2l, 22.

The switch plunger 28, is normally sustained in the upper circuit open position by a helical spring 30, surrounding the stem 29, and this spring preferably is of sufficient strength to sustain the plunger against the `pull necessary to throw the main switch, thus to insure that the main switch will be actuated before the supplementary heating circuit switch is closed.

To introduce an automatic timing period in the operation of the supplementary switch, a piston 3|, is shown mounted on the upper end of the switch stem, in position to operate within a small air cylinder 32. The movement vof this piston and hence operation of the supplemental switch can be governed to an extent by provision of an air release port 33, in the lower end of the cylinu der and a small timing vent 34, in the upper,

closed end of the cylinder.

From the description, it will be clear that the lamp of Fig. 1 can be started by simply pulling the cord or chain as an ordinary pull switch operating connection. The first part of the pull movement has the effect of closing the main switch, thus leaving the current to the separated ends of the electrodes and the further or final movement of the pull connection having the effect of closing the bridging or series connection circuit across the other ends of the electrodes by way of contacts 2l, 22, 21, and the leads 25, 26, the latter being flexible or yielding to allow for bodily movement of the starter switch casing in the pull connection. After such operation of the main and supplemental switches, the pull connection can be instantly released, because of the delayed switch opening operation eiiected by the piston 3l', rising in the cylinder 32. This delayed operation interposes a desired time element for the warming up of the filaments.

If desired however, the automatic timing may be omitted and suicient time for heating of the electrodes be interposed in the control operation by simply holding down the operating connection until the lamp iiashes."

While the piston and cylinder provides a desirable dash-pot control for the switch opening operation, other delayed action devices may be employed, such as by means of a diaphragm connected with the switch stem, or the like.

In Figui, the invention is shown applied to a lamp iixture having a socket 35, for an automatic starter switch of the glow or thermal type.

To operate in such a fixture, the exible connections 25, 28, from the pendant switch are connected with a special adapter 39, having terminals 40, AI, which plug into the starter switch socket in the same manner such as a glow switch would, thus to connect the pendant switch directly across the bridging or series circuit H, just as in the Fig. l form of the invention.

Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention which differs from those first described, principally in that the starter switch mechanism indicated at l8a, is directly combined with the main Switch mechanism indicated at l la. This is a desirable form for original installation in new lamp fixtures, comprising as it does just the one switch unit which can be mounted as such in any convenient portion of the fixture. In such a unit construction, the switch stem 29, may be extended beyond the piston or other timing control as indicated at 36, and be connected by a pivoted link 31, with the rocking lever or other member 38, which actuates the main switch mechanism.

The invention provides in eiiect a single control for both the main switch and the auxiliary or preliminary acting starting switch. A simple pull on the operating connection closes the main switch and then cuts the filaments in the desired series relation for heating them up. With release of pull on the operating connection, the auxiliary heating circuit is opened, either or both by timing the release of the pull or by the dash-pot control delayed opening of the heating circuit. The lamp can be put out by a pull of the cord just suicient to operate the main switch, but a heavier pull, such as would also close the auxiliary switch at i8, has no diierent eiiect, because at the time, the circuit will have been broken at the main switch.

The invention, in its various forms, is applicable as a built-in unit in new iixtures, or can be easily mounted and connected in on iixtureg in service. While in the latter form, particularly designed as a pendant type of switch construction, it is contemplated that such construction may be designed as for use with other than a pull connection, as for example, for a push or ior a lever form of operation, the essential factor being that the auxiliary heating circuit switch be actuated as a normal part of the mechanical operation required to close the main switch.

What is claimed is:

1. Switch mechanism for turning a fluorescent lamp on and ofi and for closing a starting circuit for a controllable length of time in the act of turning the lamp on and comprising a main pull switch for controlling supply of current to the lamp, said pull switch having a reciprocable pull connection movable in the pull direction to throw the switch and having a recovery movement in the opposite direction, and a normally open supplemental switch for controlling the starting circuit of the lamp, said supplemental switch having cooperable contacts and spring means normally holding said contacts separated in open circuit relation, said supplemental switch being interposed in said pull connection with said spring means yieldingly supporting a portion of said pull connection while holding the supplemental switch contacts open, whereby pull may be applied to said yieldingly supported portion of said pull connection to overcome said spring ymeans and close said supplemental switch contacts in the act of closing the main pull switch and be continued to hold the supplemental switch closed against the opening force of said spring means for a time after said main switch has been closed.

2. Switch mechanism for turning a fluorescent lamp on and off and for closing a starting circuit for a period oi time in the act of turning thc lamp on and comprising a main pull switch for controlling supply of current to the lamp, said pull switch having a reciprocable pull connection movable in the pull direction to throw the switch and having a recovery movement in the opposite direction, and a normally open supplemental switch for controlling the starting circuit of the lamp, said supplemental switch having cooperable contacts, spring means normally holding said contacts separated in open circuit relation and a cooperating piston and cylinder for timing the opening movement of said switch contacts, said supplemental switch being interposed in said pull connection with said piston and cylinder connected with separated portions of said pull connection and said spring means acting to normally hold said piston at one end oi said cylinder and whereby pull on that portion of the pull connection supported by said supplemental switch will be effective to shift said pis-- ton to the opposite end of said cylinder and to close said contacts against the effect of said switch opening spring means.

3. Switch mechanism for turning a fluorescent lamp on and off and for closing d starting circuit for a controllable length of time in the act of turning the lamp on and comprising a main pull switch for controlling supply of current to the lamp, said pull switch having a reciprocable pull connection movable in the pull direction to throw the switch and having a recovery movement in the opposite direction, and a normally open supplemental switch for controlling the starting circuit of the lamp, said supplemental switch having cooperable contacts and spring means normally holding said contacts separated in open circuit relation, said supplemental switch being interposed in said pull connection with said spring means yieldingly supporting a portion of said pull connection while holding the supplemental switch contacts open, whereby pull may be applied to said yieldingly supported portion of said pull connection to overcome said spring means and close said supplemental switch contacts in the act of closing the main pull switch and be continued to hold the supplemental switch closed against the opening force of said spring means for a time after said main switch has been closed, said spring means having a tension bui greater than the pull required to throw the pull switch to insure closing of said main pull switch in advance of the closing of said supplemental switch.

`pull connection movable in the pull direction to throw the switch and having a recovery move-v ment in the opposite direction, and a normally open4 supplemental switch for controlling the starting circuit of the lamp, said supplemental switch having cooperable contacts and spring means normally holding said contacts separated in open circuit relation, said supplemental switch being interposed in said pull connection with said spring means yieldingly supporting a portion of said pull connection while holding the supplemental switch contacts open, whereby pull may be applied to said yieldingly supported portion of said pull connection to overcome said spring means and close said supplemental switch contacts in the act of closing the main pull switch and be continued to hold the supplemental switch closed against the opening force of said spring means for a time after said main switch has been closed, said supplemental switch further including a casing enclosing said cooperable switch contacts and means at opposite lends of said switch casing for connection with the separated portions of said pull connection.

5. Switch mechanism for turning a uorc'scent lamp on and ofi and for closing a starting circuit for a controllable length of time in the act of turning the lamp on and comprising a main pull switch for controlling supply of current to the lamp, said pull switch having a reciprocable pull connection movable in the pull direction to throw the switch and having a recovery movement in the opposite direction, and a normally open supplemental switch for controlling the starting circuit of the lamp, said supplemental switch having cooperable contacts and spring means normally holding said contacts separated in open circuit relation, said supplemental switch being interposed in said pull connection with said spring means yieldingly supporting a 'portion of said pull connection while holding the supplemental switch contacts open, whereby pull may be applied to said yieldingly supported portion of said pull connection to overcome said spring means and close said supplemental switch contacts in the act of closing the main p'ull switch and be continued to hold the supplemental switch closed against the opening force of said spring means for a time after said main switch has been closed, wiring extending from the con-l tacts of said supplemental switch and an adapter insertable in the starting switch socket of a fluorescent lamp fixture and having contacts con nected with said wiring and cooperable with the contacts of such starting switch socket NATHAN cmzms'mm. 

